From ancient times, comets that suddenly appeared in the night sky without warning, slicing through the Milky Way and disappearing, have inspired countless people.
Some saw the sky as a canvas foreshadowing the future of the world, claiming that comets, which leave scars in that sky, were symbols of misfortune.
Others, in contrast to meteors that herald death, believed that comets, shining brightly and drawing large trajectories, were omens of new fortunes and storms.
But regardless of the exact meaning, comets symbolized something that appeared suddenly and stirred everything up significantly.
The Golden Comet.
This title spread quickly, attached to Elric Melvinger, who gracefully swept through the northern front, his golden hair flowing beautifully.
This name spread rapidly because he did not simply stop after capturing Ketrain castle but continued to shake up the war situation dramatically.
***
The Castle of Silence.
The nickname "Silence" was given to this castle because the owner, Andre Wynz, the Red Lion, was so quiet that the only thing that could be heard was the sound of the knights training. Over time, the nickname came to represent the castle itself.
But recently, the Castle of Silence was far from silent.
"...Even Barracks 16 was looted?"
"Yes... that's correct."
"This is a real headache. What should we do?"
Andre sighed so deeply it seemed as though the ground might give way beneath him.
His subordinate, who had brought the report, withdrew his neck as if he were at fault, though the situation was not his doing.
This was because Elric Melvinger's movements at Ketrain castle had become increasingly worrisome.
When Claymore Sagnard had been killed, and Ketrain castle had fallen, everyone had been shocked to their core.
Andre, in particular, had been devastated, as if his own arm had been severed. He lamented that his arrogance had led his valued subordinates to their deaths.
Thus, the command had desperately tried to reclaim Ketrain castle.
For their lord's sake.
And also to protect the army's morale.
They sent forces several times, even deploying other Claws.
But each time, they suffered defeat.
This was because Elric Melvinger made excellent use of the castle's advantages.
He kept the gates tightly shut, reinforced the barrier, and relentlessly bombarded them with magic strikes, making it impossible to approach.
In fact, it was Elric's immediate success in capturing the castle that seemed strange.
However, given the proximity of the Imperial army's subjugation army, they couldn't send a massive army to storm Ketrain castle directly.
Ultimately, they had no choice but to grudgingly pull back their forces.
Though leaving the northern front as it was felt unsettling, they planned to deal with it after the main battle with the subjugation army.
At the time, they had assessed the Star's Legion as being too small in number to pose any significant threat.
But once again, Elric overturned their expectations.
Seeing that the Red Lion's army had withdrawn, he boldly opened the gates of Ketrain castle.
He began rampaging across the northern front.
The Star's Legion, now acting as a guerilla force, targeted the Red Lion's rear.
They raided numerous castles, military camps, and supply depots stationed in the northern region.
And whenever the Red Lion's forces tried to catch them, they vanished without a trace.
Whenever the Red Lion's forces slackened, they reappeared like a storm, wreaking havoc and then disappearing again.
To the Red Lion's forces, it was maddening.
Even locations considered top-secret within their ranks were targeted so accurately that they suspected a spy within their ranks.
But even after a thorough internal purge, the guerilla raids continued.
Elric's forces would disappear if pursued, or strike elsewhere if not, leaving behind mounting damages.
The term "elusive", thrown around helplessly, seemed more fitting than ever.
And now, yet another attack has occurred.
Andre's worries deepened further.
"Send me."
"No, send me. These men should not leave their posts right now. On the other hand, I can be easily replaced if needed, so it's fine if I go."
As his Claws passionately pleaded for the opportunity to be sent, Andre smiled bitterly again.
In truth, he wanted to go himself.
But his inability to act personally filled him with regret.
'Sagnard... you fool. How many times did I tell you to run if it was dangerous? Why do you continue to torment me, even in death?'
Andre had repeatedly told Sagnard, his Claws, and his subordinates one thing:
Do not risk your life.
Run if it seems dangerous. If even that's impossible, then surrender.
There's nothing more important than your life.
But it seemed that Sagnard had disregarded these orders.
That fool. There was no greater disobedience than this. Andre had to swallow his sorrow.
"We need to take down at least two big heads, like a Lion or one of the Hexagram, for this to balance out."
As Andre murmured something to himself, a plain-looking man who had been sitting quietly across from him suddenly spoke up.
His plain appearance belied the arrogance in his statement.
Yet, no one present took his words lightly.
He was the leader of the Red Phantom.
This man, who called himself 'Nameless', was gently stroking a wooden mask in his hands.
At that moment—
BANG!
The door to the command center suddenly swung open.
Everyone's gaze turned in that direction.
Standing there was a figure who looked especially pale.
They seemed as though a simple touch might topple them, yet an unsettling aura clung to their frail form.
It was Judas, of the demon group 'Gregory.'
"Let us handle this."
Andre's gaze became calm and cold.
"Didn't you say you wanted to make your move later, to strike from behind?"
"That still stands. However, this particular issue is a personal grudge of mine."
"A personal grudge?"
Judas shrugged silently.
That meant there would be no further explanation.
Andre briefly hesitated.
Even though he had allied with Gregory, he still did not trust them.
Nor could he.
After all, demons were naturally untrustworthy beings.
That was why Andre had kept them under close observation ever since their alliance.
"Still, we can't just leave them to their own devices, can we? With such a large-scale battle looming, leaving these people unchecked will only harm our morale, and ultimately the entire situation. But, you also can't afford to withdraw a portion of the Red Lion Army."
Judas's argument was logical.
Something had to be done.
After a moment of contemplation, Andre made his decision.
"All right."
He had no choice but to utilize them.
"But there's a condition."
"Name it."
"Under no circumstances are you to harm our people."
Judas bared his fangs in a wide smile, then bowed gracefully.
"Of course. Fufu!"
That laugh still carried an unsettling and sinister edge.
***
Ketrain castle, which had been suffering from chronic troop shortages, saw a substantial reinforcement of soldiers arriving.
"You've arrived?"
Elric greeted them, and Herman smiled lightly.
"You've been quite the hero lately."
"I've just been doing what I usually do."
"Hm? It sounds like you're saying you could've caused even more trouble if you had been serious."
Elric said nothing but simply smiled.
Herman chuckled and turned to the old man beside him—Sailor Holmes, the Gray Lion.
"I think that answers your question."
Sailor gave a small smile and nodded, indicating he was satisfied.
Before arriving at Ketrain castle, Sailor had asked Herman about Elric.
Since he was coming to help him at Heize's request, Sailor wanted to know what kind of person Elric was, given that they had never met.
Hermann had answered simply:
–You'll understand when you meet him.
At the time, Sailor had thought it was an odd reply.
But now he understood.
People's character often reveals itself in just a few words of conversation.
Sailor's impression of Elric was clear:
"He's a true Melvinger."
The public's image of the Melvinger family had always been one of pure righteousness. They were mythologized and called heroes.
But that was merely a facade.
Nobles knew the truth well.
The Melvingers were a family filled with arrogance and self-love, fully aware of their blessed status.
And Elric was no different.
He was brimming with pride and confidence.
When people encountered individuals like this, their reactions typically fell into two categories:
They either found them too much to handle, or—
'They become fascinated and stick close by.'
Sailor realized he fell into the latter category.
How could he not be intrigued?
Elric's accomplishments so far were impressive, and even while traveling to Ketrain castle, Sailor had heard constant talk about the guerilla operations being led by the Star's Legion.
'Even his men have fierce determination in their eyes.... I'd heard they were just a ragtag group of followers at first, but they've grown this much already?'
Over the past few battles, the Star's Legion had repeatedly brushed with death, only to come out victorious, steadily transforming into a formidable army.
Now, they had the appearance of a well-trained force, almost on par with the Empire's renowned knightly orders.
Of course, they still had room for improvement compared to the top-tier units in the Empire.
But the fact that they had reached this level of competence in such a short time was no small feat.
'These will all become the new foundation of the Melvinger family. Hm!'
Sailor stroked his chin thoughtfully.
The Melvingers.
Their family was truly fascinating.
It was no wonder that "he" had been able to build such a powerful legacy.
Sailor couldn't help but think of it that way.
Though he would never say such things aloud to Elric, the current head of the Melvinger family.
"You're probably trying to call him arrogant, but you're wrong."
At that moment, Herman interrupted Sailor's thoughts.
"Oh?"
"He's just full of confidence."
Sailor let out a small laugh.
"Defending your successor, are you?"
"It's not an exaggeration. He's skilled enough to back it up."
Hermnn's tone was filled with affection, as if he found Elric endlessly endearing.
'Is this what happens when you grow old?' Sailor thought, bemused.
Or perhaps it was simply that Herman was that pleased with his chosen successor.
Whatever the reason, it was the first time Sailor had seen Herman behave this way, and he could only shake his head in disbelief.
At that moment, Elric stepped forward and greeted Sailor with proper respect.
"I greet you, Lord Marquis Holmes."
The wrinkles around Sailor's eyes deepened.
"You know me? This is the first time we've met."
"I haven't seen you before, but I sensed a familiar presence from you—the same as my elder sister."
"The same presence as your elder sister?"
Sailor understood instantly from that single phrase that Elric was an intriguing fellow.
The fact that he could discern Sailor's aura, even though Sailor had carefully concealed it, was telling.
It seemed the rumors of Elric's prowess, especially in taking down Claymore Sagnard, were well-founded.
'I'd like to test him out in a duel.'
Sailor smacked his lips lightly. It had been a long time since he'd felt such competitive excitement from a younger person.
But—
"That's not happening."
Herman cut in sharply, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Sailor's face scrunched up in displeasure.
"I haven't even said anything yet."
"You were about to challenge him to a duel, weren't you?"
"Well, yes, but—!"
"The Marquis' sword is fierce. In a situation like this, where anything could happen, I can't allow him to engage in such dangerous activities."
"Ah, you're so uptight. He's supposed to be your successor! Let the boy have some fun!"
"Stop being so stubborn and act your age, old man."
As Herman and Sailor bickered, Elric watched with a peculiar expression.
Hermann, who had previously been known for his unwavering calm, even when his brother had rebelled, was now showing a side of himself that Elric had never seen before. It was a curious sight. Isabelle seemed just as surprised.
Likewise, Elric's preconceived notions about Sailor, widely known as the "Godfather" of the Empire, began to shift. Sailor wasn't just a dignified elder but also had a playful side, able to get along with younger people easily.
Elric's gaze shifted away from the two and toward the rest of the group.
He recognized the knights of the House of Blue Lion and the mercenary group Black Skull.
He exchanged a quick glance with Heize, but then his gaze fell upon another group standing awkwardly off to the side, seemingly out of place.
The moment Elric saw them, he felt a brief but unmistakable surge of irritation.
Familiar faces were among them.
'Zeraitz… so you still intend to keep holding me back?'
Elric's eyes focused on the banner fluttering among the group.
It bore the emblem of the Franz family.
"It's been a while, Elric."
Count Caliger Franz smiled faintly as he extended a hand to Elric in greeting.
Should I break it? Or not?
Elric stared at the hand of his former vassal, who had betrayed him, and for a moment, he seriously considered his options.
[T/L: You can read ahead chapters and support me here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]